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Toyguru Mattycollector.com MOTUC news thread--Summer 2010

Like before, instead of posting EVERY little thing in it's own post, I'll gather them ALL the relevant MOTUC Ask Matty postings here. Keep checking for updates! The old thread is ancient history and won't be updated anymore. This is the new spot.

I'll create a new version of this thread every season or quarter.

As always, I'll put the most recent news up first, while the old news is down the bottom.

Q: in recent months a ridable mount in the online game World of warcraft made millions. Would Mattel consider collaborating with Blizzard Entertainment to offer an in-game, ridable battle cat and none combat pet of cringer? These items could be sold seperately to the actual game and also be used to market the MOTUC toy line to the literally millions of people that play the game.

none combat pets have been selling for £10 and mounts for £15. I believe the US prices are around $15 and $25 respectively

The game already has homages to He-man and skelly as you will no doubt be aware

A: World of Warcraft is a great game, but no plans to include MOTU characters in the game at this time!

Q: You said you have the rights for all MVC comic characters.
So does that mean you can do Horde Witch, Dree-Elle and Uncle Montork figures?? That would be amazing!!

A: We can not do Filmation characters even if they appeared in MVC comics. The only "Filmation" characters we can do are those who appeared in the vintage line, 2002 animated series or 2002 toy line like Orko, Marzo or Evil Seed.

Q: could it be possible for a pre-order/subscription for the 2011 MOTU vehicle so we don't have to worry about sell outs

A: We do not offer pre orders for Mattycollector.com items and the vehicle is not included in the subscription. BUT, if the vehicle sells out, it is very possible we can do another run.

Just look at all of the other MOTUC re-releases. Lots of fans were upset over Trap Jaw's sell out a few months back, but we brought him back in Aug and he lasted for almost three days, more then enough time to pick him up!

Q: Can you please explain what ToyNewsi.com meant when they recently reported, regarding the release of Filmation characters in MOTUC: "...The only exception are characters used in the 200x series like Marzo and that window is now closed."

Does this mean characters like EVIL SEED are now unavailable to MOTUC?! I hope not!!!

A: Evil Seed was in the 2002 animated series. So we can do a figure based on this version of Evil Seed, but not the vintage Filmation animated series. But if we did do an Evil Seed figure it would be in the "Classics" style without 200X animae, hyper detail sculpting details similar to Carnivus.

Q: I know this has been brought possibly.... But what would it take to get a good representation of Castle Grayskull made for us fans. I'm sure it would be costly, but when would you decide to gauge interest and tackle this?
-could this possibly be set up as sub membership exclusive for joining the club? $100-$150 club price?
-I think you might have stated this piece could be/would be considered if it coincided with a release of a MOTU film,
- I know this thing could be costly and could pose a financial risk for mattel but why not structure it this way.....
Club members sign up for all-in sub and pay $100-$150 for fee which could hopefully cover cost of CG. Gathering the subs early could secure the interest and to ensure that members follow through on their sub commitments, why not ship CG in December, perfect x-mas gift. what do you say????? LOL thanks for answering. You know you want a CG Scott.lol

A: It would likely take a new movie or other entertainment for us to do a playset in Classics style (simply because new entertainment would draw more fans).

Q: In February, we were told Mattel would be steering clear of MVC characters because the books have been out of print for a few years and are too hard for new fans to locate, but the mini-comics have been out of print for over 25 years and we're getting original characters from them. Specifically, the first mini-comic and the nearly impossible to find, final mini-comic (Preternia He-Man).

My question is two-fold:

1) Will we eventually get to see unique characters from MVC in MOTUC, like the mini-comic characters in MOTUC? Examples of some fan favourites: Human Faceless One, the 7 other members of the Coucil of Wisdom (we have He-Ra and know Eldor is possible), Aquarus (King of his race, Mer-man's arch-enemy), Stratos and Delora's parents, Illumina and her cat and the Demon inside the Shard of Darkness (basically He-Man as a winged demon on fire).

2) Are variations of mainstream characters seen in MVC comics possibilities? Examples: Little girl Teela, young Stratos and Delora (who could share MYP style Teela and Adam bucks, if they're made), young King Hiss head, baby Evil-Lyn (could use the same sculpt is a baby Adam and Adora are made), etc.

A: We have rights to all of these figures, but no plans right now for them in the line in the immediate future.

Q: People are reporting that Whiplash's feet have no peg holes on them... is this a design decision or just a mistake?

A: Our PP review samples had holes in the feet so it appears someone overseas made an error on the actual run. We've shot this up the chain of command and will double our efforts to make sure all figures do indeed have holes in the feet as we requested.

Q: In the "200X Grizzlor Head/Face" update, you mentioned that the Four Horsemen had actually sculpted three (3) heads for Bow.

Are you able to provide any details as to what Bow's third head looked like? Was it based on the toy (perhaps with a "thicker" head-band similar to He-Ro), style guide or was it an "original" design created by the Four Horsemen?

A: Of course we care about Ram Man and other characters we haven't gotten to yet. Just because you are not seeing your favorite character next in the line does not mean he or she is not coming one day! We do have a long term plan for MOTUC and in time hope to get to all the vintage toys and more.

My favorite figures from SDCC's reveal is most likely Vikor. I love the idea of doing a figure based on the original concept art and that we are making him and actual character in the MOTU world and not just calling him "concept He-Man" which feels really lazy.

I also really dig Preternia He-Man who has one of the coolest accessories I think we have ever done!

Q: have you ever thought about swapping the MOTUC logo paperinlay with an "awesome sticker"? I have to say that I really love the MOTUC logo. And it would be such a lovely nod to a previous MOTU line, having an "awesome sticker included!"
And since this paperinlay is a separate piece anyway, it wouldn´t hurt to actually make it a sticker, would it?

Of course I can only speak for myself, but I would love to have some of these stickers to color up my shelves, books or whatever.

A: A cool idea, but no plans right now. Maybe one day we will swap in something like this.

Q: When can we expect to see a reissue of Moss Man? After "Moss Mania" that occurred with the two different version, I know there were a lot of people that missed out. Trapjaw came out pretty quickly and I figure Moss Man is right up there with Battle Cat in reissue priority request.

A: I imagine in time we will re-release him. Pretty much if a figure sold out fast you can assume one day we will do a re-release. But nothing is set in stone and we don't have a rule for this.

Q: f you have to choose only one head for a character (whose heads are different, and yet he or she does not warrant having 2 heads made), would you choose to give that figure the head that looks best in your opinion, or strictly the vintage one? In other words - does vintage head always has priority?

A: Yes the vintage head will come first since the Classics line is based on a modern update of the vintage line. That is part of the design behind the line just as adding anime hyper detail was the design base of the 200X line.

Q: It's been posted at PoeGhostal.com that the horsemen have provided a picture showing they did sculpt a sword holster on Prince Adams back.

story as posted on PoeGhostal.com:

"Many fans have lamented the lack of a sword holster on Prince Adam’s back. It seemed odd to me that the Horsemen wouldn’t include the holster, so I asked them about it and they sent me this image of the paint-master. As you can see, the holster was there. The Horsemen say it must have been removed during production; they don’t know why."

"This does seem to contradict this statement by Toyguru, but to be VERY clear, I have no idea what the story is or whether Toyguru ever saw this prototype pic. The facts as we know them are that Horsemen did sculpt the holster, and it was evidently removed during production–whether by factory error or as a choice by Mattel, I don’t know."

My question ToyGuru is why was Prince Adams Sword holster not tooled the way the horsemen sculpted Adams vest before Orko & Adam went into production and were released since it was Adams red vest that needed that tooling?

A: So yup. I did talk to CB about the holster this week. In no way did we leave out the holster on purpose. I had always thought it wasn't sculpted. I checked with Bill from design and he had never seen the holster piece either. We went through all the paperwork and design pages and even the box Adam arrived in. It looks like somehow this piece must have been lost between the Horsemen, Mattel and getting the paintmaster to Hong Kong.

Honestly, we are as baffled as anyone else. I really do wish we had included this piece. Just like the fans, I wanted my Adam to holster his sword too. I had falsely assumed this piece was not sculpted (I had thought the Horsemen were recreating the vintage look exactly). I guess as the saying goes, when you want to make an omelette sometimes you need to break a few eggs.

We don't have plans to re-tool an adult Adam right now, but if the stars line up, we'd love to correct this one day. It is absolutely a miss on out part and I wish I had a better report, but from everything I can tell, the part somehow got lost in the shuffle and never made it on the figure. Neither Bill nor I ever saw it and honestly have no idea how this happened. Truly a mystery.

Sorry I don't have better news, but there you go. Now you guys know what I know.

A lot more great stuff is in the pipe. I know this is a miss but I'm sure one day we can get around to correcting it, just no plans to announce right now. But you know we will do all we can down the road.

Q: After seeing the great new sticker on the King Greyskull re-release I now want a sticker for my Goddess, Titus, Zodac, and Mossman figures. Would it be possible to insert a sheet of stickers with our Etheria Map? I would gladly choose a sheet of stickers over a coupon code or something of that nature.

A: This is something we are looking into, but nothing to announce yet.

Q: Hello Toyguru, thank you for all your hard work, I appreciate you taking the time to answer all our questions no matter how rude some of these people seem to be, anyhow, I was just wondering if you guys had hammered out when you'll be doing your battle cat reissue considering you all reissued Trap Jaw this month and they were both originally on sale simultaneously. Thank you much!

Q: Toy Guru I understand we won't be getting the second face with Grizzlor as it was never tooled and I understand the horsemen tossed it in for the toyfair photo.

My question is this... Since Grizzlors head can't be removed like all the other MOTUC figures due to the fur on his head Why give him a removable face when you stated the second head the horsemen sculpted never got tooled? I mean Grizzlors face doesn't have to come off to remove his armor, so why give him a removeable face?

A: In case we ever want to find a way to tool the second face. We like to work ahead. I am trying to help out 200X fans(I'm one of them), my hands are just tied now, but they may come untied one day and I want to be ready.

Q: Cringer seems like he would be a tricky release. He isn't quite big enough to be a full-sized beast, and I'm not sure if we would qualify is a single carded release either. Being that he's so in between, do you think a Cringer figure would one day be possible in MOTUC?

A: We do want to get to Cringer, we just need to find the right way to do him. Maybe something like what we did with Orko. Not really sure. Either way, he would not work as an oversized beast. We're looking into a few different ideas.

Q: one has teeth pointing down. one has teeth pointing up.

One has no headgear. One has headgear.

How is this not a compelling enough reason to give him his other head?

Would it be possible to get the other head in a future weapon pack or with an upcoming horde char that had fewer accessories? Surely the only reason the extra head for grizzlor was only cut due to budget and not one made by the creative team?

I can completely understand why buzz off and roboto don't get alternate heads, but grizzlor's is DRASTICALLY different

A: It is not a matter of not being compelling, it a matter of not being accounted for in the start of the year when we set our tooling budget. The Horsemen often sculpt more parts then are requested and often these parts therefore can't make the cut.

We do our best to not show these parts to the public, but sometimes slips ups happen and an image is shown (which leads to confusion).

Q: I need to know, what is the story with him. I had 3 I sold one and I couldn’t bring myself to open one for myself because of what he’s worth, but today I broke down and opened him. He is made too perfect.

The first thing I noticed is the paint applications are perfect. From his face, his eyes are centered, to his armbands painted perfectly, no extra paint on the forearms, to his belt (perfect), to his boots also perfect.

Next as I moved the figure around I noticed that all the joints are smooth, but not loose. This has got to be one of the first figures in a while that I didn’t have to take the left foot apart and build up the joint with gel super glue, and fill the bottom of the foot with regular superglue.

As a examined the figure closer I could tell the all the joint hole are well centered (an off set hole will cause the figure’s joint to either be too tight of bend weird, my Tytus was a perfect example of this his knee joint was to tight I had to pull him apart and re-drill the hold in the center for the knee hinge pin so the leg wouldn’t be so tight). The shoulders move perfect, easy to adjust where you want them and they stay.

So what’s my point? Why am I complaining? How could this figure be so perfect when all the other have so many problems? Don’t get me wrong, I love all the other figures, but not one of them has perfect joints all the way around, I just assumed it was impossible, for them to make one perfect, and I just lived with that fact.

Was he (Wun-Dar) made somewhere else then the rest of the figures?

A: All the figures are made by the same vendor. We are constantly working with them to improve the quality.

Q: Part of the fun of collecting MOTUC was speculating about the character's appearances. Sure, we know the root character would be vintage inspired, but what new additions or ideas could the 4H place onto those old designs.

Since 200X heads are out of the way, could the 4H come up with fresh new non-200X heads for the characters? Let them go buck wild. For example, if they wanted to give Clamp Champ a bald head for an alternate head or it they wanted to make a more fearsome head for Tung Lashor, are they free to do this?

A: They certainly could. We work very closely with the Horsemen on which character will get a second head (although they often sculpt extra ones anyway such as with Grizzlor and a few others!). We try to only do a second head when there is a compelling reason. Otherwise it will loose the added value if everyone had one.

Q: In the first Weapons Pak we got a second crossbow for Hordak... but the second one is silver... not white :-( Will we see a white crossbow for Hordak in the near future? Maybe with a blue style guide Hordak? :-) And MOTC Grizzlors crossbow is turquoise but not the green from the vintage figure. Will there released a vintage color crossbow for Grizzlor?

A: A white Hordak cross bow would be a great idea. Grizzlor's bow is in his vintage colors.

Q: Since we are not getting distinct 200x heads, shouldn't we expect to see a "Classics" style that blends the two, instead of figures (like Roboto, Buzz-Off and Grizzlor) that are 100% copied from their vintage designs?

A: We will incorporate some 200X concepts into figures, but all will be in the "Classic" style. Webstor's legs are a great example.

Q: 4 separate legs ... ANIME HYPER DETAIL ?
I don't believe that a thing like separate legs ( instead of 2 " attached " legs ) can be compromise by the announce you made about the 200X retired elements in MOTUC ... But some members would love the official statut of mantenna legs ...

That's not a secret , you ( or another matty , i don't know ) already made this statement :likely I’ll try to go for 4 legs since he would need new legs anyway to show the “2 combined legs” like the vintage figure had. I might also give him two heads, one with eyes up, one with eyes down.

Still a possibility or not ?

A: The vintage figure had 4 legs, so the Classics figure certainly could. But they would be in "Classics" style, not 200X style.

Q: Why has Mattel secure all rights to the toys lines that they created( mostly MotU and POP)? Hasbro control every part of the orginal toy lines -ex: Transformers and GI Joe. It seems crazy that Mattel won't have this type of control over their product lines and would end the "Filmation" problem.

A: Mattel does not currently have right to the Filmation series. We can not discuss further details with the public. Sorry!

Q: With your recent announcements regarding MYP-inspired heads, is there any chance we will be able to get the sculpted alternate Grizzlor face plate in a future accessory pack or some other manner? 200X or not, it is a distinct and, one can argue, compelling look for the character. Seems odd to have the loin cloth but not the face.

A: Anything is possible, but this face was never tool'd. The image sent to Toy Fare magazine was of the Horsemen sculpt before we had to cut down on what would be tool'd up. (this happens from time to time because magazines often need images very early. The same thing happened with Batman Beyond's wings and Wonder Woman's spear. The Horsemen often sculpt parts we do not ask for, and this can cause confusion when these images appear in the press. We do our best to not show these early images to the public specifically to avoid confusion like what happened here. Regrettably, sometimes an image will sneak through and it does indeed cause confusion).

Currently there are no plans to tool this second face as we are moving away from the 200X inspired heads in the Classics line. But it might be "possible" we could refresh Grizzlor with this second face one day in the far future if the 200X look comes out of retirement.

But don't look for anything in the immediate future.

We sincerely regret that this image went to Toy Fare magazine and all the confusion this has caused. Grizzlor was shown at SDCC as final and we hope all of the posting today have cleared up any confusion.

Q: Hey Matty Team! Just a quick question, in another thread a member was asking about He-Ro and Teela reissues, and this was the answer given: "We did have He-Ro at SDCC and did not sell out. I'm sure we'll get to them in time, but nothing to announce right now."

Is it possible to put the leftover He-Ro's (and any other older leftover replacement figures) up for sale in Matty's store? I'd rather give you guys the money for a He-Ro than someone on eBay. Thank you very much for your time!

A: We have so few left at this point that an online sale just won't work. Likely for figures with such limited stock, we will bring to conventions or maybe sell in our El Segundo Mattel toy store open to the public.

Q:What do you think about Minicomic themed Battle Packs.
As example when Clawfull and Fisto were released you can make a " Clash of Arms" 2Pack. Both in Minicomic colours and Fisto could come with the woodclub and the slashed armor, give them a nice Background/diorama that looks like the Arena in the Comic and the "Clash of Arms" lettering on the Front and you´ll have a hot seller!

A: A cool idea. This battle in particular is a classic! No plans right now to announce though.

Q:I am very upset about the news management has ordered the cancellation of all future 200X elements after Whiplash. I display my figures with their 200X heads and that's one of the biggest reason I buy this line. I prefer the modern look over most of the classic look. Like Evil Lynn, I would love to see a 200X figure made maybe as an A-list variant or something.

Is there change to convince management to change their minds? I see some fans are threatening to cancel their credit cards because of this change. This is a poor decision that should have been made not by management, but by the fans themselves. No one wants this change. I ask you to forward this post to one of the members of the management team.

Thank you.

A: The 200X style is retired. You will still see some elements of 200X design like Webstor's arms or characters like Carnivus, but you won't see heads specific to the 200X design like we did for Whiplash. That style is retired. All the figures will be in Classics style. So even 200X elements (like Webstor's arms) will be in "classics" style.

quote:
Toyguru
MOTUC contains figures from all areas of the MOTU world from the vintage MOTU, POP and NA lines to characters from mini comics, DC comics, 200X line and prototype art (i.e. Vikor). It is all things MOTU in one unified style which we call classics.

However, now you've gone back on that steatement, informing us that you're pulling the majority of the 200x style influence from the figures. see below.

quote:
Originally posted by Toyguru:
Fans are also asking about "200X" elements. I will tell you that after the Marzo head, management asked us specifically to pull back on the amount of "anime hyper detail elements" in the sculpts. Also, after the second Whiplash head, we were asked to pull back on second heads that are purley 200X inspired. That "look" and interpretation" is retired.

We will continue to do second heads when there is a compelling reason (like for Mer-Man or Man-At-Arms), but we will be pulling back from extra heads simply to add in 200X elements (like with Whiplash).

The Horsemen often sculpt extra heads and accessories then asked for(they actually did three heads for Bow) but with the direction from management to move away from 200X elements and the general high cost of extra heads (due to all the paint ops) we will only do second heads when it is really compelling. You won't see second heads just to do a 200X homage. This line is all about the "classic" vintage look. You'll see some 200X elements (like Webstor's arms) but not a second 200X head as that interpretation is retired.

Scott

The 200x series is what brought myself, and many others into the serise, and while i understand the style being retired ( just like the vintage style) you've stated that we'll see design elements show up here and there. Though with this going away, I've lost the Majority of my interest in this line. With this announcement coming days after the close of the subscription, and my purhase thereof, I feel a little cheated. I was wondering, if it's possible to cancel my sub, as it sounds like I No longer want this toyline, Or should i simply cancel my associated credit card instead?

Now, if I am misunderstanding you, and we will still see 200x inspired characters in the line, please feel free to correct and educate me. Can you give a clear and specific example of the plan if this is the case?

A: We are not pulling the 200X element. We just won't be doing second heads based purely on a 200X design because that style is retired. You'll still see 200X characters like Carnivus and Grayskull, but done on the Classics style.

Q: Toy Guru at SDCC you mentioned Mattel would love to do MOTUC playsets and Castle Grayskull would be the first one. If Castle Grayskull gets made Will Mattel have the Four Horsemen sculpt one large enough to work with MOTUC's figures. Someone over on He-Man.org sculpted this and this scale would be perfect. Please think about using this scale when Mattel does Castle Grayskull for the MOTUC line?

A: If we ever got to Castle Grayskull, I can't imagine we would do it out of scale. That would defeat the point huh? But nothing to announce now.

Q: Can u pls tell us if we can expect them any time soon? Any news about Teela reissue - is the neck peg fixed, will she come with softer skirt and correctly placed (reversed) arm-guards? (they should be the other way around. Nobody wearing them the way they are now could flex their arm in the elbow, hehe)

A: We did have He-Ro at SDCC and did not sell out. I'm sure we'll get to them in time, but nothing to announce right now.

Q: Here is a idea- recreate the famous scence from Sweet Bee's Home- when Frosta has He-man in embrass at the end of the show. Everyone been talking about this show(he-man.org and here) plus you did do Mo-larr and Skeletor from chicken robot. I feel it will be a big hit with POP and MotU Fans!

A: We won't be doing figures based on Filmation series scenes as we do not have rights at this time.

Q: Hey there Toyguru, I have a question about the She-Ra re-issue (if/when we get one).

Can She-Ra's skin tone be identical to the skin tone we got with Adora (fairer, more pale not very tan)? Adora and She-Ra have always shared the same skin tone. She-Ra was always fair and didn't "bronze" like the Adam to He-Man transformation. In all the past She-Ra toys, art, and all forms of media she has been fair skinned.

Also, this will allow us to be able to head-swap Adora's head with She-Ra's without the very distinct colour differences...and differentiate her more from Teela...who's tan and wearing a white and dark gold outfit.

It would also be fantastic if she came with a brighter, more true white for her dress, and a brighter/lighter gold colour (also helps differentiate her from Teela).

Angel-T on He-Man.org actually did a custom paint job on She-Ra with Adora's head, Adora's skin tone, bright white and brighter/lighter gold. It's the version on the right:

I really think the colours are more toy and Styleguide accurate and really make the figure pop (Princess of Power pun not intended)! Let me know what you think and if these changes would be possible on her re-issue. Thanks TG.

A: We'll pass this along to our design team. A good suggestion and I"m sure we will reissue She-Ra (whether or not changes are made) down the road one day.

Q: How about a "Red Colour Changing Power Sword" for Weapons Pak 3 ? It’s more like the Red Energy Power disappears & reappears when it is put on HOT/COLD water ! I am sure it will be a gem on He-Man's Hand !!

Along with this, you can also think about "Glow In The Dark Power Sword" ! The material which was used on Scare Glow.... That will be great too !

In Fact, You can think about creating a special "Ultimate Swords Pak" (Similar to Weapons Pak, But exclusive for Swords) where you can give Power Sword, 200X Power Sword & She-Ra's Sword in 3 variants... Regular, Colour Change & Glow In The Dark ! That’s 3 X 3 = 9 swords in a Pak !

Hope you like my Ideas & seriously hope you won’t ignore this !!

A: All cool ideas! Nothing planned right now, but we'd love to do some fun things like this down the road if logistics work out.

Q: Now that we have a smirking He-Man face for Adam and a "sad and toothless" Skeletor face for Mo-Larr two-pack. Are we going to see some face variations for the next He-Man and Skeletor variants? For example, if we see a terror claws or a dragon blaster skeletor in the future he could feature an open mouth or a rage expression.

A:You'll just need to wait and see. We are not commenting on any figures beyond Hssss right now.

Q: Do you think you could release the Royal Guards with the MAA boots one day or as a possible variant version? There are fans who prefer the Royal Guards with the Man-At-Arms boots that were shown at SDCC, rather than the version with the yellow Marzo/Keldor boots.

A:Right now the plan is to release these figures as the Horsemen designed them. We could to a different version down the road, but nothing is planned right now.

Q: Would it be feasable to make an MOTUC Bio Book. Similar to the art book but one that includes all of the various bios in one place. Sort of a "History" of Eternia through the stories of those who lived there.

A: At this point this is not possible. But something we'd love to do if logistics ever line up.

Q: Orko's bio states that the sword was in 2 halves for 500 years (from king grayskull until prince adam).

Wun-dar's bio implies that he merely protected the halves of the sword but never was able to actually use them to turn into he-man.

Am I right in thinking that the ONLY people that have been able to use the sword of HE were He-Ro, King Grayskull and prince Adam? And that all these others (oO-Lar, Wun-Dar and Vikor) never turned into he-man at all? They were just called "the he-man" because they were the guardians of the sword?
Are these sword protector He-men decendants of King Grayskull or is there a criteria for the goddess choosing them to guard the sword halves?

A: Correct. The "He-Man" between Grayskull and Adam just protected the sword of He and thus called "He-Man". Adam was the first to tap into the Power of Grayskull to transform and then call himself He-Man.

Q:Can you clear up the Goddess and Sorceress confusion? Is the caucasian cobra clad "Sorceress" from the early mini-comics the same person as the green Sharella or is she the regular Sorceress in armor instead of the falcom motif? Or is she someone else entirely?

A: The mini comics is really it's own continuity and if often changed panel to panel. In some issues Teela changes hair color on each page.

For MOTUC which tries to incorporate mini comics with later cannons, the Goddess helps recruit different protectors of the Sword of He, but she is not the Sorceress or Teela in her snake armor.

Q: The Count Marzo bio hints at the idea the Keldor and Randor might have had a relationship similar to Obi-Wan and Anakin from the Star Wars Prequel movies before Keldor went bad. Was their team-up against Marzo a one-time thing or did the two brothers fight evil together under King Miro?

A: They were a dynamic duo against evil for quite a while. But had more of a sibling relationship and not a teacher/student relationship like in the SW example you mention.

Q: I may not get an answer to these on the bios, so might as well ask.

-Sword of He: We were told in a Q&A that the Sword of He/Power Sword (whole or halves) changes colors depending on the wielder. (Skeletor purple, He-Ro glittery blue, Adam Magenta, KG Grey). Does this mean that it changes color with EVERY person that holds the sword, or does it only change colors with people who can tap into the power?

-Adam and the Techno Sword: We were told in a Q&A that Adam can tap into the power of Grayskull with the Techno Sword, but he does not transform into He-Man. The HE-MAN transformation only occurs AFTER the full Sword of He/Power Sword is reunited. Does this mean that we had a young Adam (MYP/200X) running around fighting evil while trying to get both halves of the sword, but the slightly older Adam (Filmation) is suddenly a lazy coward that only sleeps and runs away when there is danger?

A:1: Yes. If the barer knows how to will it to do that.

Although when the sword was with He-Ro, it contained the Power of the Universe, that is why it is all blue and shiny. We did have a very specific reason for making his sword blue (and not black like the prototype). You'll find out more about this in upcoming bios.

2: He didn't run around fighting evil with the techno sword. He used it on a quest to unite the halves of the sword of He.

Q:Like real comics or books, could negative feedback from the readers or fans actually cause Mattel's writers to reconsider a bio's information and retcon it into a more favorable idea that the fans would like?

While I know that some fans seem to find the bios questionable, and would find fault in everything written, I'm talking about things that are particularly hated in various forums.

Do the Mattel writers ever have second thoughts about the stuff that they've written? Like it sounded great two years ago, but now it might have not been a good idea in retrospect?

A: Nope.

We may add things to future bios to clarify points fans may have missed or misinterpreted, but we won't be changing the story based on fan feedback. The bios through 2017 along with a timeline and backstory were all written at once when we launched the line to ensure a complete story was there. And while the bios are not 100% locked in stone, we don't intend on changing them based on fan feedback positive or negative.

After all, anytime something is new fans tend to reject it at first, but in time most fans come around. Just look at the initial reaction to Keldor being Randor's brother. Fans used to hate that idea, now it is considered MOTU lore and fact.

Also, remember that we strategically write the bios to put out info a bit at a time on purpose. Right now the whole picture is not out there. Once more info/bios come out over the next few years we think fans will be very pleased with where we are going! Hang on for the ride, we do have a very strategic plan in place to create a story that involves the most amount of characters possible. Not all the pieces are on the table right now so we understand some fans being frustrated as they try to put it all together. We think by mid 2012 enough bios should be out there for a more complete understanding and appreciation.

But don't look for us to change the story as we go based on fan feedback. That would make a complicated project that much more complicated!

Finally, I should point out again that the bios are not meant to be the definitive MOTU lore. They were written to be entertaining and help us make as many characters as marketable as possible. MOTU has always been an avatar for the imagination. At the end of the day these bios are words on a package and can be accepted or rejected by each fan as they want. If in your personal world the hero of the story is Mer-Man and he fights against the evil forces of Orko, that is just as valid.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Masters of the Universe
This is the general Masters of the Universe section. This means anything involving the basic He-Man, Skeletor, Castle Grayskull, Eternia storyline is right here in this section. Vintage, 200X, Pre-Filmation, Filmation, 87 movie, DC Comics, UK Comics and mini-comics.

Q: Toyguru, can you please make sure the Etheria poster shipped to Club Eternia members is shipped ROLLED instead of folded, like the Eternia poster was this year?

Many, many fans requested the Eternia poster to be rolled (as all posters are so they can be displayed without all the fold lines), but we were told it had to be folded because it would be shipped inside Wun-Dar's white mailer box...which it wasn't.

Because the Eternia map was folded, nearly all the posters are ripped at the fold marks.

Can this, and all future posters please be shipped rolled with an elastic or a string tied around it (like a graduation diploma) so the posters do not have the awful looking fold marks and so they do not arrived ripped?

Please consider this.

Here's a picture where you can clearly see a rip in the fold of the poster between Teela and Adora (I've seen much larger rips, but this is the only picture example I can find today):

A: Sorry, to roll the map would be too expensive and this is not something we can offer with a "free" map.

Q: Hi! I was wondering if I missed a memo or something. I know we got Battle Armor He-Man back in January, and Keldor in June, and that the King Grayskull Re-Issue figure is coming in November. But is there a Quarterly Figure (presumedly for Fall?) that has escaped my notice? I would certainly HATE to miss out just because I'm uninformed!

A: We only wound up doing three A list variants this year. Now that they are in the sub, there will be 4 for 2011.

Q: Are A list varriant figures going to be reissued? Why I ask, is I really want a Battle Armor He-Man and I have the subscription for 2011 so I'll get the Battle Armor Skeletor. If A list varriants will be released again, I'll just hold out for it here. If it's not, then I want to start looking elsewhere for this figure. I also wouldn't mind have the Green Goddess as well.

A: Sure, we could certianly re-release BA He-Man just as we could any sold out figure. No plans right now but you never know!

Q: Hey Toyguru. Since you're fixing the Royal Guards boots to be Keldor's boots (like the Four Horsemen's design), can we get the boots the original King Grayskull had for this re-issue?

The fur trim is thicker than the regular "He-Man" boot, which gives King Grayskull a little bit more height. A lot of fans like this because the boots were awesome and it gives King Grayskull a little bit of a hulking appearance, which he had in MYP.

A: We caught this issues as well and are tying to make a correction but are unclear if we can make this change. We are working on it.

Q: a while back it was suggested that a Version of Tytus with Full articulation ( like Every other masters figure) COULD be released, but would carry a much higher ( possibly 80-100$) pricetag. I was Extremely interested in this, as the lack of articulation on Tytus was my sole reason for passing on him. I was wondering if this was still a possibility, or if it had been scrapped as an idea.

failing that, how about a hybrid figure with plastic arms and legs which have full articulation, and a rotocast torso like is being done with Gygor?

A: If there was enough demand we could look at this, but right now most fans seem pretty happy with the current Tytus and we try to keep our prices as low as possible especially considering the high cost it runs to do a small production run.

Q: You recently said you're going to try to go for what the fans want and give him the purple feet. But did you mean just paint the regular feet purple or give him purple hordak feet? If you were to check the forums there is massive demand for purple (armoured) hordak feet, but many are opposed to getting the regular feet in purple because of the sculpted toenails

A: We're going to be going with the standard Skeletor feet painted purple with the toe naile in black. The Hordak feet is a cool suggestion but not what we will be going for with this release.

Q: It was stated by early reviewers of the solid regular Orko that the bleed on his ears from the red hat would be corrected in the final product yet people have been receiving them this week with the red bleed over.So can you explain what's going on because the unsightly red paint on his blue ears marrs an otherwise perfect rendition of the little guy.

A: All figures are hand painted and sometimes mistakes happen. Please contact our customer services if you want to arrange a replacement product.

Q: Why was the decision made not to include a sword holder on the back of Adam's vest? You've done this for most figures with swords, including Adora. Adam is especially known for pulling his sword out from behind him. I understand that She-Ra's hair probably got in the way of giving her one, but why not Adam?

A: The Horsemen created Adam based on the origianl toy. It was their design choise. We leave these choises to the boys in Jersey.

Q: I have understood that in the weapons pak 2 is posible to find three Robotto's exchangeable arms. Is it true? And if this is true, is it possible to be able to obtain three Trap Jaw's exchangeable arms?
My nephew lost two of them...

A: Roboto's arms will attach in the same way as Trap Jaw's so they are interchangable.

We don't sell just the accessories but Trap Jaw goes back on sale in a few days so you can pick up an extra one to get more accessories.

Any plans for a retooled Goddess figure? She deserves to be more than a Teela repaint! Maybe a caucasian version? New head? Armor seperated from helm like in the comics for better articulation? PLEASE?????
Example:

(Click on link to see picture)

A: No plans to re tool Goddess at this time but you never know in the future.

Q: People just don't seem to understand that this line is all of Motu, Pop, NA, and MYP combined. Can you explain that this line is not strictly vintage?

A: MOTUC contains figures from all areas of the MOTU world from the vintage MOTU, POP and NA lines to characters from mini comics, DC comics, 200X line and prototype art (i.e. Vikor). It is all things MOTU in one unified style which we call classics.

Classics is an interpretation of the vintage line just as the 200X toy line was an interpretation of the vintage line. In this case the "Classics" style is "modern articulation and deco to vintage designs" as oppose to "anime hyper detail" that was in the 200X interpretation/style. Both lines were based on the vintage line of characters, just different styles/interpretations.

It is possible one day an all new line with a new style interpretation will be made, but for now we are sticking to Classics. Other styles like the 200X anime hyper detail interpretation is retired.

Q: Any ideas on what to do with figures that have already been released that should ideally have had the POG sticker on it? Also, will rereleases of such figures have the sticker, or stay true to the original release?

Q: I feel ol' bone head should have a purple shield to round out his weapons! Faker is getting orange axe,and shield in the next weapon pack, we got the blue/grey sword,shield,axe in the 1st weapons pack and BA Skeletor is coming with a purple axe! any chance if there is a 3rd weapons pack it could include a purple shield? is this a feasible idea?

A: Not a bad idea. I imagine in time something like this will be done.

We also have Vikor's new shield which would be great in a ton of colors.

Q: I'm a little disappointed with the 2011 products so far. King Hsss I was hoping to see him have a 200X head.

When are you planning on unveiling more 2011 products? Since the subscription is for another week, wouldn't it be wise to unveil maybe a couple more the last few days of the subscription to try and get more people to sign up?

Also how is the subscription doing compared to last year?

A: This is actually more product then we revealed before the 2010 subscription. You won't find out more specifics for at least a few months. The sub is for fans who want any figure no matter what.

Q: Is it possible to have a Man-at-Arms variant with armor in both his arms and with Skeletor's boots but with brown shoes? It would be very close to the filmation design and would make a very cool variant! I so want this figure...

Q: Toyguru, you said that inorder to fix the palace gaurd boots, they two pack of eternian gaurds needed to be pushed back to december.

I assume that fixing the boots means they will be made to match the pictures on the back of the boxes. However, does this mean we will be loosing the 4 man at arms style shin and knee gaurds? or will the shin and knee gaurds me modified to fit the keldor boots?

if we're losing the 4 shingaurds, will something else be placed in the package instead?

A: The guards will still have the shin guards. We are just changing the boots from He-Man's to Keldor's per the Horsemen's design.

Q: Year's coming to a great close with all the new MOTUC figures coming - any chance you can fill us in with the rest of the re-issues this year? I've joined the line quite late and there's much for me to get to fill that big gaping hole in my collection

Q: I just wanted to know about the Council of Elders. I'm doubting these figure will be produced as there are a lot of figures that are a much higher priority. But I just wanted to know who they were. I saw the cartoon and what little there is in the bios. I already know that they were Grayskull's council and they ascended into some sort of higher beings after his death. But who were they originally?

Is there any plan to go into specifics with the individual members?

Is what we saw on the MYP cartoon cannon or is Classics going in its own direction with this?

How many council members were there?

Were they representatives of different nations?

Is the Classics set-up of these characters the same as the MYP version?(4 human males, 1 human female, 1 gar female, 1 calligar male, and 1 mer-man)

What is the name of Mer-mans race?

A: You'll just need to wait and see. We would love to get to them one day as the COE are important character to the MOTU world.

Q: Hey ToyGuru!! Thanks for the awesome showing and all the interviews at SDCC. I read on here that King Hsss will not be resculpted. It is too late to add an articulation point to his snake form jaw so it would open and close? That's about the only problem I had with him beside how skinny the snake arms are. His human form is incredible btw! Just the way I had hoped he looked. Thanks.

A: The figure you saw at SDCC is a Horsemen sculpt, not an articulated toy. The final toy will have bendy snake heads and an articulated jaw on the main head.

Q: Would you consider making the Classicized 200X version of King Hsss or Roboto's heavily armed MYP look down the line?

I know King Hsss is a leader and A-list character and his 200X look was vastly different from his original look, so I guess the rules could apply to him, right? Especially since like The Sorceress or Evil-Lyn, he could change his look via magical means. If not, he'd be the only leader character without any variants (even Flogg and Hydron from NA have variants).

(Click on link to see picture)

But what about Roboto, who is not an A-list character? Is it feasible to make his heavily armed "Weapon of Mass Destruction" MYP look for Classics? A sort of Roboto 3.0?

(Click on link to see picture)

A: Always possible but nothing to announce now. These designs (when you remove anime hyper detail) are really not that different, so it is more unlikely compared to characters like Evil Lyn who had a much different 2002 look, but you never know.

Q: Will Mantenna be getting 4 legs like his staction? I am really hoping so it will finally do the vintage figure justice. Seeing how Webstor and now Buzz-Off got their extra 200x limbs. Could this small tidbit of 200x Mantenna be passed on to the MOTU Classics Mantenna and have him have 4 legs?

Q: You have said at Comic Con that the black roboto attachments will be able to connect to trap jaw. I assume that what you showed at Comic Con were not final pieces because they would not actually be able to connect to trap jaw because they are female instead of male. These will be changed to male parts, am I right?

A: We re-tool'd Roboto's arm and attachments slightly from the proto shown at SDCC so they attach just like Trap Jaw's.

Q: All of the figures revealed at SDCC looked AWESOME, but I was curious about one thing in regards to Roboto that I haven't seen asked yet. Will both of his hands be removable, i.e. so that we can put the laser on one hand while the axe is on the other? Or will it be only the right hand that can have accessories attached?

A: We're actually looking into this. It may be too late to make both hands removable, but if we can affect the product without delaying it we'd love to do this. If not, this would be a great way to refresh Roboto down the road, maybe ina 2 pack or in some other release.

Q: Would it be possible to make any changes to the King Grayskull redeco at this point? I was wondering if it would be possible to paint his hair similarly to the Toys R Us He-Man to make the figure stand out more.

Also, I'd like to point out that I think the flock on his mantle is a brilliant idea. Was that your idea (scott)? But I'm definately with the 99% of fans that think a Santa Claus colour scheme for it was a bad idea. Would it be possible to get one in the proper brown and cream in a weapon pack or anything? It doesn't even have to be the same shade of brown. Just something that represents him in the cartoon better than something he robbed of Old St. Nick.... (us international fans never had chance the first time around. I think such a major change really is unfair on fans)

A: The new deco was designed by myself and Bill Benecke our lead designer. We really think it is quite keen. The design is final and Grayskull is about to go into production for fans this fall! And yes, the cape top is flocked.

Q: If the Snakemen get their army/soldiers, there`s a difference between them and other army figures, like the Eternian Guards or the Horde Troopers:

There`re lacking on armored suits, as we saw them in the 200x Cartoon/Comics. Some had harnesses, some don`t, they`re more different from each other.

Because they have no gerneral armor, is there a possibility to see more as only 2 different painted snakemen? Maybe 4 different green-painted snake-soldiers with 4 different colored interchangebable harnesses for more combinations?

I know, you can`t make an announcement, but is this a idea which could be in the cards for this line?

Q:When Rattlor is made is it possible to allow him the use of the extending neck peg ( which by this time should be implemented in Meckaneck and Extendar)? This would allow for a mimic of his old extending striking neck feature. On a related action feature front has any thought been put towards how to give him his rattle also?

A:You'll just need to wait and see. But a good bet is we will do something like this to recreate the action feature. No Rattlor plans to announce right now.

Q:Will he come with two heads, the classic one, and that of Fourhorsemen?
I vote "YES" i love the FH face of Grizzlor.
And other question, it comes with FH weapons, or only with crossbow?
I vote "with FH Weapons" too.
The FH figure is my favourite grizzlor´s desing.

Q: Is it possible we'll get to see some of the varient A list figures with new head sculpts? We've seen Adam with a smiling face (which is getting a great reaction). Are there chances to getting he-man with a closed mouth (like many of the 2002 he-man figures had. Namely snake armor he-man) and perhaps even with hair more like the snake armor he-man had? Also NA he-man and skelly. Would they be given new heads or be given standard heads?

Q: I realize it's a crazy question, but is Orko's head removable? The 4H tend to surprise us with stuff like this!

A: Yes. That is not something the Horsemen do, that is something Mattel does. It was actually my idea to make all the heads removable (well after Grayskull). I thought it would help people customized figures and permit head swapping.

Re-release all are the same as the original. There are never changes to the tool. And the weapons paks are also not a place where you will find new tooling. It is possible we could do a new version of Webstor or even offer a new FAST pack. But not in either of the places you suggested.

No. If we made this change to He-Man it would count as a newly developed toy since we would have to make actual changes other then minor paint updates (like we did around the eyes). We'd rather use our sku allocation for new figures vs making minor changes to an existing one. If we re-issue He-Man again it will be the same as the second release.

Just as we have plans for the standard figures, we have plans and bios in place for A list variants as well (there will be 4 per year, at least in 2011). So this is not something we can open up for voting at this time.

We will be having a fan vote at SDCC where you can choose the color of Swiftwind, pink or white! Only at our fan panel at 1:00 on Friday!

Q:When you say "varient" figures does that mean figures like battle armor he-man or Zodak or does that mean the "varient" is just a simple repaint of a figure thats already been released?

I really don't want to sign up for a sub if there is a chance that I get a rerelease of a figure with a few things changed on it or a new color scheme because I feel like that's a waste.

Now if the 4 "varients" are like Zodak, Keldor, BA He-Man then that's awesome.

Just trying to get some clarification on the matter.

A: Hey Lord Zedd

I know Matty is busy preparing for SDCC so in his absense I'll try my best to answer your question!

By variants we mean characters like you've had as bonus figures already (The Goddess, Keldor, Zodak, Battle Armour He Man)

It basically means a figure that can be created as either a repaint or a slight retooling (so for the Godess she had a repaint and was remoulded in a different plastic to the original Teela, and for Keldor, he's essentially Skeletor with a new head, feet and cape - so limited tooling!)

So essentially they are the same kinds of 'bonus figures' we've already been getting in the line so far.

Other potential possibilities later on 'could' include Battle Armour Skeletor, Captain Randor, and 200X versions of Evil Lyn and the Sorceress, but these are just possibilities, but a good example of the kind of thing to expect as a 'variant figure'.

I hope that helps answer your question!

best wishes
Cat

NEW!!!Toyguru:
And to add to that, all of the A-list variants will have new tooling. There will be no straight repaints.

Q: I know the design is the four horsemen part but can you just say if glimmer will likely be a two headed figure.
In fact,her head design is so different in her most popular representation
(styleguide) in comparaison to your beautiful toy version's face

Q: As mini comic characters appear to be on the table for MOTUC, are Mattel aware of the orical / sorceress type character from the POP mini comic Journey to Mizar? This character looks like she could have been an early version of the Light Hope concept.

(Click on link to see pictures)

Would a figure of the Seer or Wizzardess (as she has become known by POP fans) be possible as a substitute for Light Hope or even as a MOTUC POP figure in her own right: perticularly if Mattel already have plans in place for a possible MOTUC Light Hope in the future?

A: Characters that were created in the mini comics are on the table. Characters created by Filmation (like Lighthope) even if they appeared in the mini comics are not available.

Q: I was just wondering...seeing how BOW is slated to be released....is there any possible way of including KOWL with him .....? Just like Prince Adam was included with ORKO. ...After all, it seemed as though KOWL always accompanied BOW

A: We could do Kowl, but not with Bow. He is done and going into tooling.

Q: What do you think about Flutterina in MOTUC? Would you like to see her fast in MOTUC or is she to "special".. to pink..to girly? I'm a fan of her and worried about to get her late in 2016 when I'm old and grey :-(

A: Love all the POP girls and can't wait to get to them all! Although my favorite is Castaspella since my sister had her when we were young and I used to steal her for all my MOTU adventures. (that doesn't mean she is coming next or anything, she was just my favorite POP toy).

Q: Hi Scott, this item that you will be raffling off after the MOTU panel at SDCC (To mark She-Ra's 25th Anniversary) sounds very intriguing! Will this be for just a single or a few items like the Spirit of Grayskull figures, or will this be the item Mattel alluded to to a while ago: saying there would be a certian number given away each day at SDCC?

P.S Because you guys are releasing Plastic man at SDCC and it's also She-Ra's 25th Anniversary will Melendy Britt be featuring in any of Mattel's plans at SDCC this year? As I am sure you know she was the primary voice actress on She-Ra's cartoon, while also working on Plastic Man's cartoon.

Melendy left a cryptic non specific message on her website around a year ago hinting that something might be comming up, but that she couldn't talk about it! Will Melendy Britt be comming to SDCC as a guest of Mattel or is she somehow linked to the special item i.e providing a voice over for some special packaging?

I'm really looking foward to finding out what this item is and even if 99.9 percent of the fans around the world can't get it, I think it's appropiate and right that you guys are attempting to Mark She-Ra's 25th anniversary by making a very special item.

A: You will find out in time. It is not connected to Ms. Britt in any way.

If a toy had a vintage version, the colors will be based on the toy's colors. As for the exact sculpt, that will likely be a blend of the style guide and the vintage toy based on the preference of the Horsemen.

Q:Given She'Ra's currently figure, which can't sit properly on Battle Cat, what steps are being taken to have her ride Swiftwind? I know this is a rather silly question but I hope we don't have to get a very "thin" or small Swiftwind; which might look out of place next to the other MOTUC beast toys.

A: I had dinner with the Horsemen in Philly last month and we discussed this very issue. Not to worry, all will work out. We got this one.

Q: You've said before that if a character has a different deco (like switching the colors on Stratos' wings and jetpack) it would count as a bonus figure, not a re-issue. Bonus figs will now be included with the subs. How will this work with new versions of large scale characters? If you do a pink Swiftwind (assuming the first one is white), or a Filmation colored Swiftwind, would that also be part of the sub?

Is there a better chance of a style guide/Filmation Spirit, since he never had a figure before?

A: If we did a second Swiftwind in new color down the road it would be a new sku.

Q: I would like to ask if you will give consider on Swift Wind STYLE GUIDE appearance (not colors):
(Click on link to see picture)
...and if will be able to get him with the PROTOTYPE colors (which many of us are hope in)...
(Click on link to see picture)
This is a photoshop changes I did on the original Style Guide.
(Click on link to see picture)
And to finish, please, don't forget about the Spirit's jewel ...unless him wings we will Adora's steed!
(Click on link to see picture)
Thanks in advance.

A: As stated in a previous question, colors will be based on the vintage toys based on how fans vote, classic Swiftwind or Royal as announced on the poster.

Q: First of all, I have to say it's a little annoying that you can no longer reply to someone else's question. Sometimes a follow-up question is appropriate for the same thread.

You said that you "need" to use toy colors if there was a classic toy. I'm assuming it's more "want" than "need". Are you able to do the previously described Filmation/style guide colored Swiftwind (orange mane & tail, blue saddle, white body, and blue/pink/gold wings), even if it isn't the first version you do?

A: If there way a vintage toy of a character, that takes precedent.

We ended the replies in this thread because two many questions were turning into off topic conversations. If you want to discuss an answer you can do so by starting a thread in a toy line board.

Q: I assume that "white" Swift Wind will be Royal Swift Wind, with the pink mane and tail, as well as on the wings.

Is this correct? Because many fans might mistakenly believe that "white" Swift Wind will be the Filmation colored Swift Wind. Fans believe that you can do Filmation colors because of a recent answer that was given toward coloring Marlena's mini-comic dress.

A: As Swiftwind had a vintage toy (well multiple toys) we will offer him in one of the original toy colors. Queen Marelena never had a toy, so there is no precedent for what color her future toy's dress should be. She also wore a green dress in the mini comics as well.

I know the Filmation designs are off-limits, but could you do a SW in this colour scheme?

A: If a character had a toy in the vintage line, we need to go in that direction for the Classics update. Because Swiftwind had a toy in the vintage line, the upcoming toy will be based on the toy colors based on what fan's choose.

Q: remember last year when you had the audience vote for panthor being flocked(i am fully AGAINST a flocked panthor btw)?

remember how people STILL say the vote went the other way?

How about you record the vote from your point of view to help dispel angry rumors? it can only help.

Do it with a show of hands or something so that visually it is easy to see. those rooms distort noise way too easily, especially on recording devices.

I'll be at the panel and i am going to aim my camera at the audience for sure when the voting starts.

I want a WHITE swift wind BTW.

A: Fans will actually be voting by tickets this year. Each fan will be given a ticket and as you exit the panel you will place your ballet in either the pink box or the white box. Then we will hand count them in front of fans back at the booth.

It is up to retailers to decide how to distribute product, this is not something Mattel controls. We also do not sell retailer exclusives on Mattycollector.com (at least not at the same time it is at retail, it is something we can look at doing after 2 years have passed like we did for the Wal-Mart Wave 5).

Q:Just want to say thank you for replying a lot recently to everyone's questions. It's really great you take the time to do this!

Recently I made a DCUC / MOTUC Wish List, I was wondering are there any characters/figures that simply cannot be in one of the two-packs. I know you can't comment on unannounced toys, but is there anything that Mattel cannot do for this line? Or are all the MOTUC and DCUC toys a possibility?

In my topic, I had suggested a Moss Man / Swamp Thing 2 pack. Swamp Thing has not been in the DCUC line, but there was a figure for him in the DC Direct line in 1999. Would a character like this be out of the question, since it's a DC Direct release. Or since it's been 11 years since that figure has been out, would he be a possibility?

Both Moss Man and the Swamp Thing figures are rare.

Same question could be asked for DCSH. Figures like Darkseid.

A: We won't be premiering any figures in the 2 packs, so pretty much if the figure is already out it is fair game to be reissued and possibly redeco'd in a 2 pack. But all pairings do need to be approved by out licensor partners at WB and DC. So it is not a free for all.

Q: Although new colors will be presented in the future Weapons Paks, are you aware of obscure variants of existing weapons like the purple/blue prototype spear of Whiplash (80`s TV-commercial) or the blue/orange He-Man-shield for Stinkor (added to some european Stinkor-figures in the 80`s)?

A: Yes, we are ware of these and they would indeed be good candidates for weapon pak repaints. Nothing to announce at this time however.

Q: Many MOTUC figures often arrive with loose joints, ankles being the most common, but heads, arms, knees, etc. are also sometimes a problem.

Obviously it is untenable, for both Mattel and collectors, to return every figure that has articulation problems like this, since it is so ubiquitous.

Collectors trade strategies on the forums for fixing loose joints on their MOTUC figures - guerrilla solutions like superglue and rubber bands - but these fixes really don't seem like they should be necessary on brand new product.

Is Mattycollector aware of this QC issue, and is there anything being done to try and reduce the prevalence of this problem? Mattel's other toylines, like DCUC, do not suffer from the same loose articulation, at least not with the same frequency.

I know many people would like to hear your thoughts on this. Please give us a heads up. Thanks in advance.

A: Yes, we are well aware of loose joint issues and are continuing to work with our vendors to improve these.

Q: Hey Scott, any chance there will be more MOTU Art Prints based on the vintage posters and box art? The William George poster print available at SDCC was awesome and I'm sure fans would love to get their hands on some more prints.

A: It is something we are looking into. Nothing to announce now though.

Q: First, I would like to thank Mattel, TG, 4Horsemen and Robot Chicken for the release of Mo-Larr.

This Figure is Awesome and the concept is very funny !!! (The back card, the bio, the figure itself). I really love this initiative from Mattel.

When the fwoosh has right when they said that there are a lot of hard-fighting techo barbarians on Eternia, but the entire planet cannot be made up entirely of Masters, right? I mean, what about the glue the holds this world together? The guys that perform the necessary work, like you know, healthcare? Well, they are apparently alive and well and performing their required services.

I can't wait to get Mo-Larr !!! I will not be able to go on San Diego Comic Con this year cause I live in Europe and this year was difficult for me to be able to organize such expensive travel...

But I hope to found a Mo-Larr 2-pack signed by ToyGuru,4 horsemen and Robot chicken somewhere... Could somebody help me ? Red Face

And will Mo-Larr be re-released, one day, on a single card ?

A: No plan right now for a single card Mo-Larr. The two pack is your best way to get him!

Q: Hi. My wife told me that her only concern about picking up Mo-Larr from SDCC is that he is a dentist who doesn't wear pants. To put her mind at ease does the figure have the traditional MOTUC loincloth or some other covering under his shirt

Q: Hey, any chance we get some of the items in November spread out? So far it seems to include:

King Greyskull
Grizzlor
Palace Guard 2-Pack
Weapons Pack #2

If there's a reissue as well, that's $112 in items (just or MOTUC toys). Remove the reissue and it's $92 plus shipping. Wouldn't it be easier to spread that out a bit? Maybe putting the Weapons Pack to October and the 2-Pack to December? I had plans on picking up 3 Palace Guards sets but now it's looking like I'll have to skip them entirely.

A: We actually confirmed today that in order to correct the Palace Guard's boots we will need to move them to December.

Q: I was just wondering: if you can have seperate subscriptions for MOTUC and Ghostbusters and have them ship together, why can't you have seperate subs for MOTUC monthly figures, MOTUC bonus, and MOTUC large scale, and have THEM ship together?

A: If you but both a Club Ecto and a Club Eternia sub in the same order they will ship together.

We do not offer a pick and choose sub. It is all in. If you want to order only the A list figures or beasts or monthly figures, a sub may not be for you and you can always order and pick and choose figures as they come out. The sub is only for those who want EVERYTHING. It is not an option for those who want to pick and choose figures.

Q: Mattel previously advised that Plastic Man could not be shipped to Australia or New Zealand due to "local regulations". Although not confirmed by Mattel, it has been assumed by Aussies and Kiwis that this is due to Plastic Man's "bendy" parts (wire coated with plastic) since they appear to be the only "unique" element that Plastic Man has which other DCUC, MOTUC, etc figures do not.

If this assumption is correct, will fans from Australia and New Zealand also be unable to purchase King Hiss/Hsss from mattycollector.com due to the "bendy" parts in the figure's "snake form"?

A: Plastic Man was restricted due to the spring legs, not the bendy parts. So there won't be any issues with Hssss.

Q: Im a US military member stationed in JApan, and since we dont have a typical physical (street) address, we use APOs. This is my mailing adress for everything from bills to packages, so Im wondering why mattycollector wont ship to these APO addresses?

Q: Orko in 2 august? ¿why? is not a simple figure? ¿why it not sell on 15th?

A: Because the 15th when our monthly figures go on sale and we want to get the SDCC items up as soon as the con is over for eager fans!

Q: Hello there! I want to know (if it is possible) a few monthly figures for 2011, because I have doubts about buy it or not.
I know for May 2011 you'll sell "The Faceless One", but what happen with other 11 figures? If we could know 6 or 7, I'll be sure to buy or not that subscription.
And other thing, I think there are more important figures than POP caracters. So please less POP and more REAL CLASSICS figues.
Thanks for reading!

A: We will be revealing a hint into 2011 at our SDCC panel at 1:00 on Friday.

Q: With the 3 min sellout of Orko and Plastic Man and the routine 10-15min sellout of just about all MOTU figures on sale days, is anything being done to make sure the supply meets demand?

Are higher production runs coming? Are measures being taken to prevent scalpers from buying up everything before the real fans and collectors can get their figures? Any new steps to improve traffic on the website?

I know you must get these questions all the time, but that should show you just how BIG an issue this is. For the comic con pre order and the 6/15 sale (and other monthly sales) I changed my schedule around in order to be at my computer before 9am and still didn't get the stuff I wanted, and I, personally, don't think it's fair that some online retailers had more than 10. Thank you for your time.

A: We often reissue figures that sell out fast. Just because you missed out this time, it doesn't mean the figures won't be back.

Some items, however, such as SDCC limited collectables will remain limited.

Orko and Plastic Man will still be available at SDCC next week. They are not sold out at all right now. We have a ton for the convention still.

Q: I was wondering if there would be anything like the battle cat coupon included with the 2011 club eternia. I realize large beasts are included, but an idea of having a coupon for a weapons back or for stands or even free shipping on one of the items not included in the sub? Thanks for your time.

Q: If the price of tax for the voucher is based on the state you live in and the figure have the tax included, then why am I paying $28 in tax for my figures when I live in Orange CA. The system has over charged and it needs to be fixed. What are the official price of each figure with tax not rounded?? Paying tax on tax is ilegal.

A: Best to contact customer service if you believe the wrong tax has been applied. We would never do that intentionally!

Q: I am press, I received a press release from your PR office today (I copied it below) inviting me to come to the booth on Preview Night - suggesting that I can find exclusive items, among many other things. Now I am understanding I can look at these items, talk about these items but not touch or buy these items? My worry is that by Thursday afternoon these items won't be available anymore and I won't be able to even see them.

I am coming to the show and writing about the resurgence of He-Man in our 30 something population, I watched your pre-order and tried to buy then so that I would be assured to have product to go along with my article. The pre-order sold out within seconds and I was not afforded this option, but assured that there would be more at the show. If I can't purchase when everyone else does, how am I assured this? Will you have adequate stock?

I have attended Comic Con for years and as a press member, I have never been afforded any of the same privileges that those on the floor get. They always move the press to the same line as everyone else, we do not get special treatment.

A: As a member of the the press you will be able to purchase product starting Thursday at noon. We have allocation for each day of the con so you will have more then enough time to buy. We want to give a window for attendees first who paid to get into the show first and foremost.

Toyguru I have a question about Preview Night

Q: I have a 4-day comp pass and a red attendee sticker badge to be able to attend Preview Night. I'm neither a vendor, press, professional, or exhibitor. Am I able to purchase items at the Mattel booth on Preview Night? A simple yes or no answer will do fine since if it's a yes then I'll print you're response out and show to the Mattel workers if any problems arise. I'll add a pic of the red attendee sticker badge I'm talking about.

(Click on link to see picture)

A: As an "Attendee" you may purchase on preview night. Starting on Thursday at noon, all other badge types (Professional, exhibitor, press, etc...) may buy.

Q:I'll be attending SDCC as a guest of a professional. Will I be able to buy on preview night and Thursday morning? I had to pay for my pass just like the rest of the attendees and had no idea that I would have to wait to purchase items? I was only able to reserve Starro and Molar as a preorder and am just a fan like everyone else. Thanks

A:Sorry, you will need to wait until Thursday at noon as most professional guests did receive free badges and we have no way to differentiate and we need to accomodate Attendees first who is the one type of badge where everyone paid for their ticket.

Q: Does the name on the CC need to match the name on the ID and SDCC badge when making and collecting the pre order exclusives? Or am i able to make the pre order and have someone pick up the items for me?

A: Yes. The name must match. You must have your credit card, your voucher, your ID (Driver's License, Military ID, etc...) and a SDCC pass all with your name on it.

I think that Pre-Sale of SDCC must be an option for all the Foreign people,and not only for people at SDCC.

Because it´s very dificult for people that live in other countries, to be at San Diego Comicon.
The distance to United States is so far. And we would have to spend much money on travel and subsistence.

Why not Pre-Order of SDCC with Shipping to Foreign Countries ??
All the foreign fans will enjoy !!

A: Because the presale is for those picking up product at the show, not for those around the world not at the show. Some of our SDCC items will be for sale on Aug 2 on Mattycollector.com.

The presale product is not even at Digital River. They are only assisting with the voucher. All of the physical product for the presale is at SDCC. It is just a matter of dividing the full SDCC allotment into presale and non presale pallets for sale or distribution at the show. None of it will be sold online and shipped. That would defeat the point of having SDCC exclusives if we just sold all of them online. Then it would just be standard Mattycollector.com product like we sell every month!

Having unique product for SDCC is part of what makes the show special for those who make it out. We understand not all fans around the world make it to SDCC, but the same is true for exclusive merchandise for other events like Wrestlemania or the Superbowl. Exclusive merchandise is what helps make special events special.

Q: Just wondering if Mattel has tinkered with the notion of introducing a MOTU theme into the Imaginext line? There have been castles, knights, dragons, pirates, etc. but, I think Imaginext would make a great expression for MOTU (allowing for lots of fun accessories, vehicles, and playsets) and might provide a broader in-road into retail for other MOTU offerings. Even in MOTU-I started off only as a TRU exclusive(?)

A: It would be fun, but Imaginex needs to appeal primarily to moms and kids. It might take new MOTU entertainment like film to do this. I'd personally love some!

So far, it seems like Keldor is being influenced by a demonic influence, not being enhanced or changed by dark energies released by Hordak. If so, then it makes Skeletor suspect as Keldor is not in control and not accountable for his actions.

Originally Posted by chuc98

Now they have elements such as the bios planned out through 2017? That's interesting to know, previously the line up was through 2016…

I guess they had a little bit more time to write...

I wonder if they managed to get the rest of the NA heroes in the line. Last we heard, by 2017, we'd have everyone but those guys.

He already said that some NA characters would wait 'till 2017. That answer's just reflecting that.

Originally Posted by Tallstar

I'm still curious to know if Wonder Woman's look in the abandoned WW and the Star Riders toy line is something that can be used for a WW/She-Ra 2-pack.

Remember, Toyguru said recently that either the DC *or* MotU figure would be redecoed in a two-pack, and they've maintained all along that the only changes will/can be (a) colour, (b) mixing/matching existing parts [ala the way Zodak was made by taking parts from several different extant figures] and (c) fewer acessories (max 2, only one head). No new tooling.

And I'm still sure it's far too early to announce a two-pack involving She-Ra (hasn't Toyguru said there'll always be AT LEAST a full year between the original MC release and any retail release?).

My bet is still that they'll do pairings involving Batman (with Man at Arms?) & a Bat-villain (Joker/Hordak?) next, then Wonder Woman/Teela and Cheetah/Evil-Lyn, and some time beyond that, if the sales hold up, they'll do a Supergirl/She-Ra two-pack, not =w=/SR.

The bios/timeline could not have been written out at once when the line was launched, because, as TG mentioned in an interview, the line was only supposed to be, at MOST, 6 figures based on Mattel's expectation of mediocre adult collector fan support.

There is no way that Mattel would have spent the time/money researching, collecting data, writing, etc., if they didn't know, for sure, that the line was a hit, let alone a limited 6 figure run.

Scott and his team should just say "no comment" instead of talking BLARNEY! LOL They are always going to get caught up in the contradictions because they're all available somewhere online.

The bios have contradictions. They just do, and we all know it. That's not a huge problem, but it's annoying to be told that everything has been pre-planned perfectly since day one.

also interesting is the comment about not debuting any new figures in the 2packs. As some of you already know, there is a rumor to the contrary. It wasn't specific, but just that a new figure might come out that way, which made me think it would be a clever way to create & afford some of the more complex figures (like Sy-Klone, for example, if they want to include some kind of spinning action).

The bios/timeline could not have been written out at once when the line was launched, because, as TG said, the line was only supposed to be, at MOST, 6 figures based on Mattel's expectation of mediocre adult collector fan support.

There is no way on God's green Earth that Mattel would have spent the time/money researching, collecting data, writing, etc., if they didn't know, for sure, that the line was a hit, let alone a limited 6 figure run.

Great point. Mattel has written 200 bios for a 6 figure project?

Scott, why don't you and your team just say "no comment" instead of talking BLARNEY? You're always going to get caught up in the contradictions because they are all available somewhere online.

Well...they did sorta give me answer that I sought...the bios CAN be changed to clarify unclear subjects. So they are willing to clear up messy writing. This is good because it means that Mattel isn't as unmovable here as they are with other controversial topics.

So far, it seems like Keldor is being influenced by a demonic influence, not being enhanced or changed by dark energies released by Hordak. If so, then it makes Skeletor suspect as Keldor is not in control and not accountable for his actions.

TG already said that Demo-man doesn't influence Keldor/ Skeletor rationale.
Only his power and appearrance:

2: I can promise fans that there is intent behind the whole "Demo-Man" thing. Hang in there, I think after fans get the whole picture, a lot of you will be very much on the "oh, now I get it, and Demo Man is cool" bandwagon.To add a little insight into future info, Demo-Man changed Keldor physically and increased his power. It is not in control of him. Skeletor's rationale that he should be the rightful ruler of Eternia is actually pretty just if you read Keldor's bio. More will be revealed in time, I promise there is a much bigger picture that is not revealed yet. http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...44#post2440544

About changing the bios, why did they change Mermans bio then turning him into a coward?

After all, anytime something is new fans tend to reject it at first, but in time most fans come around. Just look at the initial reaction to Keldor being Randor's brother. Fans used to hate that idea, now it is considered MOTU lore and fact.

I can't recall half as many fans being POed about Keldor as those being POed about Demo-Man. In addition, I can't recall half as many fans rejecting Trap Jaw's real name "Kronis" as those rejecting Squidish Rex.
Also, there's a huge difference between "coming around" and "liking". To give up being angry about Demo-Man doesn't mean that fans suddenly are fond of him.

Remember, Toyguru said recently that either the DC *or* MotU figure would be redecoed in a two-pack, and they've maintained all along that the only changes will/can be (a) colour, (b) mixing/matching existing parts [ala the way Zodak was made by taking parts from several different extant figures] and (c) fewer acessories (max 2, only one head). No new tooling.

I'm not too familiar with all the DC product that's available, but isn't there enough stuff out there to mix 'n match and then just repaint? The only thing I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have is the hair, but they could get away with using another style.

The bios beyond Hordak were written around the time Stratos was shipping. And yes, we've worked out an idea of 2017 at this point. If new characters become available before then obviously things could change. But for the most part, we have a road map to a pretty complete line.

And yes, we've worked out an idea of 2017 at this point. If new characters become available before then obviously things could change. But for the most part, we have a road map to a pretty complete line.

The bios beyond Hordak were written around the time Stratos was shipping. And yes, we've worked out an idea of 2017 at this point. If new characters become available before then obviously things could change. But for the most part, we have a road map to a pretty complete line.

I wonder what new characters could possibly become available besides Filmation? Is there any or is that the only thing that's off limits?

The bios beyond Hordak were written around the time Stratos was shipping. And yes, we've worked out an idea of 2017 at this point. If new characters become available before then obviously things could change. But for the most part, we have a road map to a pretty complete line.

So, if we get all the characters... if the bios give all the mains facts of the MOTU mythology... then if no comics or cartoon are made before 2016 it would mean the end of a myth.

I'm happy to know we will have a complete line by the end of 2016 (or 2017) but I my sadness would be even bigger if at the end the team at Mattel isn't big enough to manage a new cartoon or comic line.

MOTUC is doing very well, it would be a nonsense to me not to extend the myth.

The bios beyond Hordak were written around the time Stratos was shipping. And yes, we've worked out an idea of 2017 at this point. If new characters become available before then obviously things could change. But for the most part, we have a road map to a pretty complete line.

ohhhh reeeeeally??

YESSSSS

Yeah, I know, no rumors, no wishful thinking LOL But, as you probably are, I am excited about the idea of new characters becoming available!!!

I think any and all impatience regarding info stems from the fact that it's only revealed in one place once a month or so... that's actually a lot of fun, but it's also TORTURE!!! LOL!!!

Further, I suspect if a MOTU movie ever gets off the ground and into cinemas we would see some new characters featured in that which could no doubt become available to the line ... that is depending on how Mattel handle marketing of classics figures vs movie branded toys.

The bios beyond Hordak were written around the time Stratos was shipping. And yes, we've worked out an idea of 2017 at this point. If new characters become available before then obviously things could change. But for the most part, we have a road map to a pretty complete line.